Sitali Pranayam

Sitali Pranayam is a great breathing exercise for relieving anxiety and addictions, detoxification, clearing anger, and quitting smoking. Practicing will produce a powerful cooling, relaxing effect on the body, while maintaining alertness. It is known to lower fevers, and aid digestion. This is a great technique to do if you find yourself freaking out emotionally or caught up in anger – it will cool you down and bring you back to calm.

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Breath

Take the tongue and curl it into a “U”, with the tip just outside of the lips. Inhale deeply through the curled tongue; exhale through the nose.

If you can’t curl your tongue, just stick your tongue out over your bottom lip and feel the air rushing over the togue on each inhale.

Time

Continue for a minimum of 2-3 minutes.

For detoxification, practice this pranayam 26 times in the morning and 26 times in the evening.

How it Works

Sitali Pranayam gives you power, strength, and vitality. It is helpful to practice whenever you get a fever, sickness or discomfort. It is a cure within you. At first the tongue will be bitter (a sign of toxicity), then it will become sweet. Once it becomes sweet, it is a sign that toxins have been eliminated and you are less likely to become ill. Sitali Pranayam helps to eliminate anger, brings sweetness to the personality, and strengthens the nervous system. Sitali Pranayam also soothes and cools the spine in the area of the fourth, fifth and sixth vertebrae, which helps to regulate sexual and digestive energy.

Great powers of rejuvenation and detoxification are attributed to this breath when practiced regularly. “People who practice this breath have all things come to them that they need by the planetary ether. In mystical terms, you are served by the heavens.”

This is also an excellent technique to decrease cravings for cigarettes. Simply practice for 3 minutes before every cigarette you intend to smoke and see what happens.

Born in Guru Ram Das ashram in Toronto, Gurushabd is a true modern yogi, and grew up in a spiritual community of Kundalini Yogis, healers, teachers, and Sikhs. She spent a year studying at a yogic boarding school in India, became certified to teach Kundalini Yoga at the age of 17, and has over a decade of teaching experience.

Gurushabd teaches welcoming classes at Lotus Yoga Centre with a graceful spirit and a deep gratitude for whoever walks through the door. When she’s not teaching, Gurushabd is directing the studio and running the business side of things. In her down time, Gurushabd can be found biking around the city, playing ultimate frisbee, meditating, and hanging out with her husband Nash.